Rifle-range, target, and the like.



A. WHITNEY. 1 RIFLE RANGE, TARGET, AND THE LIKE. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 21, 1908.

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A. WHITNEY.

RIFLE RANGE, TARGET, AND THE LIKE. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 21, 1908.

953,501 Patented Mar. 29, 1910.

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A. WHITNEY.

RIFLE RANGE, TARGET, AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 21, 1908.

953,501 a Patented Mar. 29, 191 0.

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r ban-4 ASA WHITNEY, OF IEELIBOURNE, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA.

RIFLE-RANGE, TARGET, AND THE LIKE.

Application filed March 21, 1908.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Asa -WHITNEY, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at the Melbourne Club, Melbourne, in the State of Victoria, Commonwealth of Australia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rifle-Ranges, Targets, and the Like, of which the following is a specilication.

This invention relates to rifle ranges, targets and the like, and has for its object to provide targets and the like which will enable the riflemen to fire under such conditions as more or less exist in actual service, in so far as the movement and varying range of the objects aimed at, are concerned.

I am aware that targets have been heretofore constructed in such a manner as to move relatively to the ritleman, usually at right angles to the line of fire, with or without a varying elevation. Furthermore, miniature targets have been before constructed so as to advance and retreat; but not automatically and sometimes also to be presented at fixed distances intermittently to be aimed at.

According to the present invention, T construct a target in such a manner that, not only the range of same is continually changing, but also the direction of motion relatively to the line of fire (and also the angle at which the target is presented to view). It may also be caused to disappear and reappear at difiterent places, in order that the shooter may not know where or when to expect the target or targets to appear. The targets may also be so arranged as to close in together, thus representing a company of men.

A further feature of the invention enables the speed of the target in any direction to be varied; for instance, in the case of a target composed of dummy men it may be caused to advance slowly, and then more quickly to represent a charging body of men or it may perform other evolutions.

In order that the said invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into elfect, I will describe the same more fully With reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a general view of a range fitted with targets constructed in accordance with my invention, showing as an example only three ways of arranging the track or guide for the target. Fig. 2 is a sectional Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 29, 1910.

Serial No. 422,578.

elevation of a target and its carriage. Fig. 3 is a sectional side elevation of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a plan of the carriage with the target carrier and carriage cover removed and Fig. 5 is a plan of the cover. Fig. 6 is a view of a convenient form of device used in connection with various evolutions of the target, and Figs. 7 and 8 are enlarged details in section and part plan.

The invention is represented in these drawings in its most convenient form and comprises a car or vehicle A driven by an oil motor B or other convenient means, upon a track or guide C which may be arranged in any desired manner. The car A carries, pivotally mounted upon it, a beam or cross bar D pivoted at E and capable of angular motion therea'bout in a horizontal plane. The said beam carries the targets F, F, and is supported at convenient positions by means of rollers, wheels, or the like G, capable of moving upon a circular track H, also carried by the car, so that the beam is supported When moving about its pivot at other points and the weight is partially removed therefrom. The driving mechanism and other vital parts of the car are protected by means of a suitable casing of armor J, which is provided with means of access to the parts within the same. For this purpose, the said casing or armor has a movable member J pivotally mounted, as at J and provided with a gravitating leg or support J 3 pivotally secured to the outer and normally lower end of the member J, as seen at J.

K is a hoop or bar of suitable material adapted to be placed in suitable positions around or about the track or guide, so that in traveling thereon, guide rods L, 011 the beam, strike these hoops, and cause the beam to change its angular position around the pivot and thus the targets present a different aspect to the firing line, and may be edge on. At the left-hand side of Fig. 2, the guide rod L is shown as in contact with one of said hoops or bars K. Such bars may also be utilized in conjunction with means for stopping the vehicle automatically by coming into contact with a lever or other device for throwing the clutch of the motor out of gear, or otherwise cutting ofi the driving power, and may be of iron, wood stone work or other suitable materials.

The targets F, F, may be of ordinary canvas on wood frames or otherwise, and when the hits are recorded, may be patched in the usual manner.

The track or guide may be arranged so that the targets recede from the firing point, passing across the line of fire and continue down the range to disappear behind some cover, to re-appear, again crossing the line of fire and approaching the firing point to disappear again and so return to the starting place. Another very convenient track or guide is the sinuous one having at each end a loop.

hat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In a shooting range, the combination with a track, of a trolley, a vertical pivot thereon, a target carrying device pivoted upon said pivot, targets on said device, means tor automatically causing said device to move angularly about said pivot, means for propelling said trolley along the track, means for causing the targets to disappear, means for auton'iatically stopping said trolley, means for protecting said propelling means from projectiles, and means for allowing access to said propelling means through said protecting means.

2. In a shooting range, the combination with a track, of a trolley, a vertical pivot thereon, a beam pivoted upon said pivot, targets mounted. on said beam, means for automatically causing said device to move angularly about said pivot, means for propelling said trolley along the track, means for causing the targets to disappear, means for automatically stopping said trolley, means for protecting said propelling means from projectiles, and means for allowing access to said propelling means through said protecting means.

In a shooting range, the combination with a track, of a trolley, a vertical pivot thereon, a beam pivoted upon said pivot, targets mounted on said beam, arms at the side of said track, in contact at intervals, with said beam, means for propelling said trolley along the track, means for automatically stopping said trolley, means for causing the targets to disappear, means for protecting said propelling means from pro jeetiles, and means for allowing access to ,iid propelling means through said protecting means.

4.. In a shooting range, the combination with a track, of a trolley, a vertical pivot thereon, a beam pivoted upon said pivot, targets mounted on said beam, arms at the side of said track, in contact at intervals with said beam, a motor on said trolley for propelling same, means for automatically stopping said trolley, means for causing the targets to disappear, means for protecting said propelling means from projectiles, and means for allowing access to said propelling means through said protecting means.

In a shooting range, the combination with a track, of a trolley, a vertical pivot thereon, a beam pivoted upon said pivot, targets mounted on said beam, arms at the side of said track, in contact at intervals with said beam, a motor on said trolley beneath said beam for propelling same, arms at side of said track for automatically disengaging the clutch and stopping said motor, means for protecting said propelling means from projectiles, and means for allowing access to said propelling means through said protecting means.

(3. In a shooting range, the combination with a track, of a trolley, a vertical pivot thereon, a beam pivoted upon said pivot, targets mounted on said beam, arms at the side of said track, in contact at intervals with said beam, a motor on said trolley beneath said beam for propelling same, arms at side of said track for automatically disengaging the clutch and stopping said motor, armor on said trolley, for protecting the motor and its connections and means for obtaining access to same through said armor. 1

7. In a shooting range, the combination with a track, of a trolley, a vertical pivot thereon, a beam pivoted upon said pivot, targets mounted on said beam, arms at the side of said track, in contact at intervals with said beam, a motor on said trolley beneath said beam for propelling same, arms at side of said track for automatically disengaging the clutch and stopping said motor, armor on said trolley for protecting the motor and its connections, and a door in said armor for obtaining access to said motor and its connections. v,

8. In a shooting range, the combination with a track, of a car, a beam pivotally mounted thereon for angular movement thereof in a horizontal plane, targets carried by said beam, rollers supporting the said beam on the car, guide rods on the beam, hoops located about the guide track,

and a motor for moving the car.

ASA IVHITNEY.

IVitnesses T. SELBY IVARDLE, RATLEY IVADMAN. 

